Anniversary
by darthsydious
Summary: It has been one year to the day since Mycroft 'abducted' Molly to inquire as to her relationship with Sherlock. Mollcroft brotp. Now with Sherlolly!
1. Chapter 1

"Happy anniversary."

"I don't do anniversaries. And what, if I may I inquire, are celebrating?" Mycroft asked. He sat in Molly Hooper's office, waiting as she poured out tea.

"It's been a year to the day since you first abducted me to press me for information regarding your brother, silly."

"Abducted is rather a harsh word," he began. One look silence him. "Yes...well...my methods were...unorthodox, but not ineffective."

"Still are, yours and Sherlock's, come to that." She smiled, handing him a cup. "Well, go on, since you forgot our special anniversary," she winked at him, smiling a little at his discomfort at the term. Mycroft Holmes, in Molly's opinion, could stand a bit more discomfort. "What are you here for?"

"My dear, have thousands of appointments in a single month, I cannot be expected to remember each time I meet a new person."

"Not everyone, just the special ones. I know you too well." Molly smiled over the rim of her cup. "Go on then, what's this all about?"

"I can't come for tea and see how you are?"

"Certainly you can, seems odd though."

"Why?"

"Because we never speak of anything but Sherlock's goings on and his progress, and we never have tea."

"We ought to," Mycroft answered. "Speak of other things more often that is...that is to say it isn't for a particular friendship that I am after with you, you understand, I am not the romantic sort-"

"Woah, hey, okay, you don't want to get in my knickers, got it," Molly laughed, clearly enjoying the elder Holmes' flustered state. "So...why tea? Why all of a sudden?"

Mycroft, having had time to take a drink and compose himself, sat back in his chair. "Because you are important to my brother."

"Am I?" Molly looked at her cup, attempting a natural smile, instead managing to look quite somber. "That's nice. You'll excuse me if I don't believe you."

"You are," he insisted. "You matter a good deal to him, and not merely because you procure cadavers for his experiments." Mycroft leaned forwards. "You've made an impression on his character, Doctor Hooper. Quite an impressive one, if I may be frank."

"Well..." she shrugged.

"I had wanted to thank you," Mycroft went on. "With a present or gift of some sort, for all you've done for him. It occurred to me that the sorts of things you appreciate do not necessarily come gift-wrapped."

Molly stared at the elder Holmes, quite touched. "How very astute of you," she smiled warmly at him.

"Yes well...it seemed to me that the most valuable thing I have to give is my time."

"How did I come to deserve such a precious gift?" Molly asked.

"Well...as I said, you mean a good deal to my brother, rubbish as he is at saying so and I wished for you to know how much I appreciate your friendship in him."

"He didn't put you up to this, did he?" Molly asked with a frown.

"Certainly not!" Mycroft bristled. "I wished...I am trying to do something nice." he shrugged. "Forgive me if I am not very good at it."

Molly thought on how busy Mycroft Holmes really was, how much he worried for his brother, all the goings on his life. Yet he still took time to sit and share a pot of tea with her. She patted his hand comfortingly. "I think you've made a fine start."

"Yes well...one will improve with practice." his eyes twinkled over the rim of his cup. "Shall we make a little tradition of it? Having tea once a year?"

"I hope you'll take me somewhere nicer than my office," Molly teased.

"Certainly. How does high tea at the Ritz suit?"

"Oh very well," she nodded, her smile bright. "It doesn't have to be the Ritz, you know. Sandwiches in a cafe would be just as nice."

"How dare you suggest we celebrate such an important occasion in a dingy little cafe." Mycroft looked quite affronted.

"I thought you don't do anniversaries?"

"Only for family," Mycroft acquiesced, smiling gently.

"Well..." Molly smiled, looking at her lap. Mycroft knew very well she had no family to speak of. Her father died, her mother long-ago passed away. Mycroft, in his own way, was trying to tell her she could rely on him in this respect. She met his gaze over her desk. "Families meet more than once a year, don't they?"

"Holmes' don't," his mouth quirked slightly. "I don't suppose I can hold you to those standards, can I?"

"Nope. I've obviously made some impression on your brother, I'll have to do the same with you."

"My dear, you already have, that is why I am here."

"Hm, so you are," Molly grinned. She paused. "Happy anniversary, Mycroft."

"Happy anniversary, my dear."


	2. Chapter 2

"You went to tea with Mycroft."

Molly looked up from her book. Sherlock stood in his bathrobe, holding an acetylene torch in one hand, rubber gloves in the other.

"Yes I did, what of it?" Curled up on Sherlock's couch, she hadn't given much thought to her tea with Mycroft, other than that it was very nice. Sherlock was working on an experiment, and it was giving him trouble. When that happened, Molly often would come to Baker street as he needed someone to talk at, to work the problem out. Also it gave Doctor Watson a break from the consulting detective's rattling on.

"Well..." Sherlock shifted, looking uncomfortable.

"We're going again in a week," she said, opening her book up again. "Well, he's taking me to tea that is, yesterday I just made it in my office. He thought we ought to go somewhere nicer next time."

"I could take you to tea, if you like tea," he blurted out.

Slowly, Molly looked at him, smiling. "That's nice of you, Sherlock. I know you're busy though. You don't have to."

"Yes. Well...you're..." he fiddled with the switch on the torch. "He's not the only friend you have..." he glanced up at her, nervous. "Is he?"

"Certainly not!" she laughed. "You're my friend too, Sherlock."

"Oh." his face fell somewhat.

"Course I feel differently about you than I do your brother." Molly added.

"Oh?" Sherlock wasn't certain of how he felt about that. She might mean...well...she might care for Mycroft more, and it made his stomach twist at the thought.

"Yes, well, I don't want to get into his knickers," Molly went on with a laugh.

Sherlock blinked, lowering his arms to his sides. He seemed to be buffering, trying to wrap his head around what she'd just said.

"You remember that?" she asked, still giggling. "That was the first thing I said to you, when we first met."

Oh he remembered.

"Yeah, yes, obviously," he coughed, flustered. "You also said something about my bottom."

"Good old Molly," she laughed, a little red in the face. "It's nice of you not to throw it in my face, what I said. I'm sorry if I'd behaved rather like a silly school-girl when we first met."

"You were dazzled, obviously," Sherlock replied, somewhat smug.

"Good thing I know you better now though, hmm?"

He whirled around, looking quite surprised (and a bit insulted). "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I know your personality, don't I?" she asked. "It's not just the face that I like so much. I don't make it a big secret that I like you, Sherlock. I'd be an idiot if I tried to hide it. I'd be a bigger idiot if I liked you just for your face, or ignored your...rather glaring faults just on account of your pretty face."

His insulted expression seemed to grow. He set down the torch and gloves, hands on hips now.

"Don't be so sour," Molly chastised him. "I'm saying I like you for you, that's a compliment."

"Oh." he looked somewhat relieved. "Well then I ought to say the same of you."

"What?" She looked surprised.

"You must be joking," Sherlock was genuinely aghast. "Oh don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. You're a blooming English rose. Inspector Lestrade has to wipe the drool off his chin when he sees you coming. To say nothing of the sheer brilliance of your work. And I rather like your breasts."

Her mouth formed a perfect 'o', unable to say one word.

"Oh I said that last bit out loud didn't I?" he asked, noting her expression.

Wordlessly, she nodded.

"Hm. Well. It's true." he sniffed. "I suppose tea is rather out of the question."

Again, she nodded, getting to her feet. "Dinner, however," she at last said. "That's another matter entirely."

"We could have dinner here," he offered, taking a step closer, and she followed suit.

"Here?"

"Mm." he glanced over her shoulder, towards the hallway to his room. "Or...over there..."

"Over..." she looked to where he was directing his gaze. "Oh! Yes. Dinner would be lovely, over there. To celebrate."

"Hm. Yes...celebrate what?"

"We'll think of something."

He nodded and closed the distance between them, kissing her at last. She responded in kind before tugging him down the hall. He scooped her up in his arms, stepping into his room and booting the door shut behind him.

Happy anniversary indeed!


End file.
